CHAPTER 10 BUSINESS REPORTS AND PROPOSALS

Objectives
What are business reports and proposals Types of reports and proposals The various components of reports and proposals Format and layout of reports and proposals

Reports
Derived from Latin word- reportare- meaning to

bring back
t is usually a piece of factual writing! based on

evidence! containing organi"ed information on a particular topic#

ts a logical presentation of facts and information

P!rposes O" #riti$% Reports

To present a record of accomplished work $%ro&ect

'eport( To record an e)periment $%rimary 'esearch 'eport* Laboratory 'eport( To record research findings or technical specifications $a report on the details of a new product( To document schedules! timetables! and milestones $a report on a long term plan( To document current status $an inspection report( To record and clarify comple) information for future reference $a report on policies and procedures(
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Co$t'(
To present information to a large number of people

$annual report( To present organi"ed information on a particular topic $a report describing the working of various divisions of an organi"ation( To recommend actions that can be considered in solving certain problems $recommendatory report(

C*+r+cteristics O" A Report

%recision Factual Details 'elevance 'eader +rientation +b&ectivity of 'ecommendations ,imple and -nambiguous Language

.larity /revity 0rammatical 1ccuracy ,pecial Format llustrations 2omogeneity , Documentation

I-port+$ce O" Reports

1 report is the only tangible product of a professional# 'eports enable decision making and problem solving in

organi"ations# 'eports help the authorities in planning new ventures and in evaluating men and material# 'eports are an important means of information dissemination within and outside the organi"ation# 'eports serve as a measure of the growth! progress! or success of an organi"ation# 'eports serve as a valuable repository of information# 'eports reveal gaps in thinking# .'eports develop certain skills in the writer#

T/pes o" Reports

/ased on %urpose3 4F+'51T 67 and '7,71'.2 * 141L8 T.1L $interpretive or investigative( /ased on Fre9uency3 %7' +D . $'outine( and ,%7. 1L /ased on 5ode of %resentation3 +'1L and W' TT74

Steps I$ #riti$% + Report

:# Determine the scope of the report ;# .onsider the audience <# 0ather information =# 1naly"e the information ># Determine the solution ?# +rgani"e the report

2i$'s o" A!'ie$ce

%rimary @ %eople who have to act or make decisions

on the basis of the report

,econdary

- %eople affected by the actions the primary audiences would take in response to the report report and getting it to the right people

mmediate @ %eople responsible for evaluating the

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T/pes +$' So!rces o" I$"or-+tio$

Type ,econdary Source
/ooks!

internet! reports! newspapers! maga"ines! pamphlets! &ournals

%rimary

Auestionnaires!

surveys! observations! e)periments! historical information and raw data

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Perso$+3 Observ+tio$
-,eeing with a purpose -.hief source of :st hand inf# -'ecogni"ing B 'ecording inf# -Forming 5ental mpression

.ontrolled * -ncontrolled $create an environment( $view things as they are(

-5emory! sensory perception -7)pensive! slow! cant be used for all

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Te3ep*o$e I$tervie4
nformation is of routine nature +nly brief answer is re9uired ,mall no# of people to be contacted ,aves time on traveling ,ome feed back possible $not effective( nf# 5ay not be representative 7)pensive $Long distance( 5isinformation hard to defect

Perso$+3 I$tervie4
.onversation with a purpose To obtain 9ualitative data To supplement the inf# collected through other methods To get e)act details To have a feel of the answers so as to draw better

inferences
Large no# of people cant be contacted Time consuming
1&

1nalysis difficult

Perso$+3 I$tervie4 Prep+r+tio$

0et an appointment /e clear with purpose %en! tape etc# 6isuali"e opening Dress appropriately 'each on time
0et /e

prior permission for recording ready with a strategy a list of 9uestions $open end( 9uestion

%repare Last

1)

5!i'e3i$es 6or Co$'!cti$% I$tervie4

/riefly e)plain the
/e /e

tactful fle)ible get unnerved in time confidentiality

purpose
/e alert while Listening /e accurate in recording Dont enter into an

Dont Finish Thank Ceep

1ssure

argument
1ssume a subordinate

position
1void too many

the lines of commn# +pen

interruptions
1,

1void embarrassing 9ues#

6or-+ts O" A Report

5emo 'eport ,tandardi"ed form report Formal report

1.

7e-o +$' Letter Reports

Memo Report:
is prepared to send to somebody within the organi"ation# is used to handle routine business matters like passing

information from one department to another! making changes! alerting employees! solving a problem! etc# helps the administration in making decisions or solving some problems# includes analysis! conclusions and recommendations in addition to all the items of the inter-office memorandum# differs from a letter report in structure and style $more informal(# is shorter than a letter report and adopts a matter-of-fact 10 style#

Letter Report
8 is used for sending reports of a few pages to outsiders#

8 includes all the routine parts of a business letter and

of content and writing style $factual(#

may also include headings! illustrations and footnotes#

8 differs from a business letter in terms of organi"ation 8 does not contain inside address#

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7e-o A$' Letter Reports

,hould contain
--1uthori"ation --,ummary of Findings --,tatement of %roblem --Development of the report --.onclusions and 'ecommendations

20

Corpor+te Reports
,pecial kinds of reports brought up by public or

listed companies 7ither for compliance or for transparency ,tatutory report

Directors 'eport 1uditors 'eport .ost 1udit 'eport

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Str!ct!re O" A Report S*o!3' Be B+se' O$9

-sefulness Terms of 'eference 7)isting %ractice

22

Str!ct!re O" A Report

Prefatory Parts:

.over Title %age .ertificate 1cknowledgements .ontents List of llustrations 1bstract

Co$t'(
Main Text:

ntroduction ,ummary Discussion .onclusion

2&

Co$t'(
Supplementary Parts:

1ppendi) *1ppendices 'eferences * /ibliography 0lossary

2)

Co$t'(
Optional Elements:

Frontispiece Letter of Transmittal .opyright notice %reface ,ummary nde)

2,

Str!ct!re O" A Report

Prefatory Parts:
.over Title %age .ertificate 1cknowledgements .ontents List of llustrations 1bstract

Supplementary Parts:
1ppendi) *1ppendices 'eferences * /ibliography 0lossary

Optional Elements:
Frontispiece Letter of Transmittal .opyright notice %reface ,ummary nde)

Main Text:
ntroduction ,ummary Discussion .onclusion
2.

Pre"+ce
-Factors

that led to the report -+rgani"ation of the report -2ighlights -,ignificance -1cknowledgements

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Letter O" Tr+$s-itt+3

+b&ectives * Terms of reference ,cope 5ethodology adopted 2ighlights of the analysis mportant results ,ignificance of the study suggestions 1ny other details which may enable the audience to

understand the report better 1cknowledgements

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Abstr+ct A$' S!--+r/

ABSTRACT
7ssence of the 'eport ;->D of the 'eport

SUMMARY
7ntire report in a nutshell >-:ED of the report

5ore relevant in specialist 5eant for all readers

to specialist nformation is both communication Aualitative and nformation is Aualitative Auantitative Do not include 5ay include certain illustrations illustrations

I$tro'!ctio$ O" A$ A$+3/tic+3 Report

/ackground of the report %urpose and ,cope 1uthori"ation /asic principles or theories involved 5ethods of gathering data 0eneral plan in developing the solution $/rief outline

of 5ethodology( 0eneral ,tructure of the report

Or%+$i:+tio$+3 P+tter$s
.hronological ,patial * Directional Logical .omparative .ause @ 7ffect %roblem @ ,olution .ategorical * Topical %sychological

In i!ents of "iseases in Rural In!ia :# ntroduction ;# Diseases in 'ural ndia- 1n +verview <# 5a&or Diseases <#:# 1 D, <#;# .ardiovascular <#<# Tuberculosis =#5inor Diseases =#:# 0astritis =#;# nfective diseases =#<# +thers ># .onclusions ?# 'ecommendations

O!t3i$e ; S+-p3e <

B!si$ess Propos+3s = De"i$itio$

Written document to persuade the reader to accept a suggested plan of action %ersuasive presentation for consideration of something 1 written sales offer to sell ideas or services

&

Reports >s? Propos+3s

%roposals offer to 'eports

solve problems! provide services or sell e9uipment

present information to decision makers in business! industry! government and education

B!si$ess Propos+3s = T/pes

nternal 3 within organi"ation! less voluminous than e)ternal! not all details re9uired! memo * manuscript 7)ternal 3 written to person * organi"ation outside! detailed! letter * manuscript form ,olicited 3 arises out of specific demand! understanding of customers needs important -nsolicited3 sent without the recipients demand! should persuade the reader
,

Co-po$e$ts o" + Propos+3

Title page 7)ecutive summary ntroduction ,tatement of need %ro&ect description %ro&ect management /udget Aualifications .onclusion 1ppendi) ,pecial section if any

Component
Title Pa$e Ex) Summary Intro!u tion Statement of /ee! Pro0e t "es ription Pro0e t M$t Bu!$et Or$n) Info) Con lusion Appen!ix Spe ial Se tion
0

Content
Title& Proposal 'riter& Re ei(er& Or$n) !ate Um+rella Statement of t%e ase , summary O(er(ie- of t%e entire proposal Pro+lem statement "etails of %o- t%e pro0e t -ill +e implemente! an! e(aluate! S %e!ules 2inan ial !es ription of t%e pro0e t , explanatory notes 3istory& $o(ernin$ stru ture& primary a ti(ities& au!ien es , ser(i es Summary of proposals main points A!!itional material Any ot%er se tion spe ifi to t%e pro0e t in 6uestion

#en$t%
* p$) * p$ . p$s * p$ 1 p$s 1 p$s * p$ * p$ . paras 4-5 p$s . p$s

Co$te$ts o" E@ec!tive S!--+r/

%roblem ,olution Funding 'e9uirements +rgani"ation and its e)perience

B!si$ess Propos+3s = 6or-+t

.over letter * 5emo with separate proposal %roposal built within memo /usiness letter plus proposal %roposal within business letter

&0

Si-p3e Propos+3 6or-!3+

'%o: who will do the work! manage! whom to call in

case of problem and who is responsible for what '%at : what needs to be done * delivered! what can customer e)pect B what will it cost '%ere : where will the work be done * delivered 3o- : how work will be done! deployed! managed! risks mitigated '%en : when is the start! key milestones! completion B payment due '%y: why the chosen approaches B alternatives! why customer should select the proposal writer
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B!si$ess Propos+3s #i$$i$% E3e-e$ts

,olutions 3 best amongst many! implementation /enefits 3 confidentiality! gain .redibility3 convince! testimonials ,amples 3 small sample in similar area Targeted3 intended audience! appropriate language

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